Sam George has disclosed that MTN will build 800 new cell sites across Ghana in 2026, the highest number the company has undertaken in a year in the last decade.
He said MTN initially planned to build 500 sites this year, but the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations pushed the company to increase the target because 500 was not enough to address the country’s network needs.
“On the average over the last 10 years, every year we have done only 209 new sites every year. And so this year, MTN alone is doing 800,” he said during the Government Accountability Studies on September 7, 2026.
According to the Minister, 180 of the 800 sites are already active and carrying traffic.
MTN has also committed more than US$1.1 billion over the next three years, with about US$380 million expected to be invested in 2026.
Sam George said the new sites are being targeted particularly at rural and peri-urban communities, where network coverage remains a challenge.
He said the Ministry worked with Members of Parliament to map locations within their constituencies that needed improved network coverage.
Telecel is also increasing its investment in network infrastructure. Sam George said the company’s capital investment has increased by 60% compared with the previous four-year period.
Under its 2026 plan, Telecel is targeting 2,698 site upgrades, with 1,890 already completed.
Sam George said the increased investment has become necessary as more Ghanaians depend on mobile networks for work, business and other daily activities.
He noted that smartphone penetration has increased from 27.5% a decade ago to 71.8% as of June 2026.
